Collaboration Technology 2.0

Goals, shmoals - that's simply not enough!

OK, so you've got a goal, a strategy and a team, but can it be effective? The number of people in a team truly influences your ability to deliver a positive outcome. So where does it start and where does it stop?

At a recent CW 500 Club session my old friend Prof. Clive Holtham from the Cass Business School was speaking about Second Life, looking at its possible application in mainstream business - currently not a lot - though you'd be advised to monitor the progress of Second Life as it could be the application that comes out of left field to surprise us. Chatting afterwards we discussed European management attitudes to collaboration. We agreed how difficult it has been to embed effective team working in the UK, particularly in public sector companies. This is partly due to the prevalence of a two tier approach that I call Mount Olympus Management.

This is where the Gods (top management) expect the rest of us living below the virtual cloud line to obey rules they choose to ignore.

When you pull your Christmas cracker and put on the funny hat remember that while the joke inside may not be funny at least it passed the scrutiny of the thought police.

How did you do with your emails this year?

It's easy to slip into careless habits so here are a few tips to remind you what NOT to do for 2008...

You think you are working, but are you really? That is the question implied in a new Basex study (reported by ars technica). Their report, "Information Overload: We Have Met the Enemy and He is Us," estimates that email, IM interruptions and reading blogs by knowledge workers will drain the US economy of $588B this year. It claims that e-distractions are eating up 28% of a knowledge worker's day. Consider there are about a fifth the number of knowledge workers here as in the US. Factor in our higher average fully loaded salaries. Quite easily you are pushing £100B as the parallel cost to our own economy.

I was talking to a Don who is an assessor at a university court. A court that has had civil jurisdiction in all matters involving scholars or privileged persons of the university since 1244. We were discussing email and its dangers and how, as a consequence, telephones are ringing again between the the ivory towers.

Mr Darling if you want a modern Britain then you have to enable change. Today's budget did nothing to stimulate or facilitate the adoption and renewal of IT infrastructure in this country.

I have a vested interest. In my distant past I worked for the BBC, I still have a great deal of affection for the esteemed organ of the British establishment, but it is changing. I came across this very interesting article on the changes now being implemented at the Beeb.

The corporation has really grasped the possibilities afforded by the latest web technologies (check out its podcast and vodcast output) and within the next two years on the back of the iPlayer we are going to see a tons of innovations affecting both UK, European and world wide audiences. The world of broadcasting, narrowcasting and affintiycasting will never be the same again.

What is it all about Bob? IBM Software Group and Lotus brand in particular needs to demonstrate some sense of real prduct strategy. It does exist in part but the 'whole' seems to be absent. IBM, I suspect your customers and prospects want to see this from you as well as great product, not just 'us' partners.

Mike Rhodin, GM of Lotus, is moving on. Its not news now, it was announced last week. As an IBM'er he has served his tour of duty and is taking on a senior role here in Europe. Bob Picciano (Sales Lead for DB2) is taking over. It is a great time to join the brand but there are a some important issues that need addressing. In January I was at Lotusphere and l have attended two Lotusphere Come to You events recently and with the amount of time between the these events the issues surrounding the big picture seems to have fallen into sharp focus.

Do blogs matter, well maybe in the IBM universe they do... Ed Brill is one of IBMs most influential bloggers (as an IBM employee) and his reactions to my last post have stirred a fair amount of comment. Interestingly he directly quoted me (below) in his blog:

It is clear from even the most casual observation to see that the funds now being invested in product development are at a rate not seen for a decade. As much as I applaud this turnaround it seems that although the factory is running at 100% capacity the marketing strategy as to which customers should be buying the output and more importantly why they should be buying which piece of the output seems to have gone walkabout. Looking on at a distance, how all the pieces fit together within an 'over arching' structure frankly seems completely absent.

I have been impressed at the level of rational discussion engendered as a result of the excerpt quoted in his blog, however I am disappointed at the shortage of constructive suggestions generated. As a blogger its always nice when people agree with you and often as nice when they don't!

So the challenge is to those who care - come up with some pithy positioning (try to say that drunk) so that the senior IBM dudes who I know are reading this and other blogs can be inspired to do better than they are at the moment.

Ideas as responses to this post please

ps the emphasis is still on the why

I don't want to alarm my Quickr, Sharepoint, Notes or Exchange readers but to more than paraphrase the Barak Obama mantra (sort of): SaaS is going to deliver 'Change we can believe in' .

Whether built around the Microsoft 'Mesh' vision, Google Enterprise Apps or IBMs SaaSpace, the technologies we all have traditionally had our arms around (both physically in the form of servers, and metaphysically in the form of platforms) is about to exit through the Corporate front door.

In the old days waiting for the sun to shine when on holiday normally meant reading some trashy paperback, those days are past. This morning I have been listening to a well researched BBC World Service program on Social Networking impacts on business. The nugget I picked up from this program was the importance of anti company / organisation Facebook Groups or Websites, A contributor noted how useful these sites are to gain insight on what a company is doing badly and then build strategies to address shortcomings.

Why do so many good business ideas bite the dust. For many it is because they are not really as good as they seem, for others maybe the economics don't work or they are simply to complex to execute. Lastly we have the 'ideas ahead of their time', the most frustrating sort is when a good idea bites the dust only to be resurrected some time later and then become wildly successful.

Watching last nights 'Apprentice' on BBC really brought the matter into sharp relief, two teams set the same tasks found their ideas built around it, support it and were convinced they could sell it until the cold bucket of reality was tipped over their collective heads. Ego had been nurtured but not tested against common sense. Looking back over ventures that I have directly and indirectly been involved with I can see how many time the 'good idea' became an end in itself with large groups of people either promoting or not opposing it because of the energy and support of the sponsor.

It does question the 'wisdom of crowds' which statistically may be true but as will all statistics there are sufficient variables to be dangerous!

Next time you have a good idea - try to test it both by restraining your own ego but by giving sufficient weight to the egos of others. The Alan Sugars of this world love great ideas but they also love the consideration of common sense to ensure that they can make money out of them.

What makes teamwork, for that matter what makes a team work? I can't help but wonder. Over the years I have worked in many sorts of teams. Teams that are single purposed, clearly led with very differentiated tasks for each member. At the other extreme I have worked with teams where objectives are poorly defined, roles even more so and individuals left to determine amongst themselves what they need to do, when, how and why!.

Which teams structures were the most successful? Well neither, both had pluses along with other mixtures of team styles - simply put: you can't generalise.

Even with clear leadership and sharply focussed goals teams fail - this can be often caused by soft issues - personality clashes, internal politics and such like. Teams even with the most wooly of construction often deliver fantastic results. Individual commitment, professionalism and people engagement supplanting the rigid structures found elsewhere.

These are my top tips for effective technology supported teams:

o Clear team objectives - preferably written down and clear goal lines that can be crossed

o Effective communications - mandatory shared content, any emails that circumvent this should be stamped upon in a hard and ruthless manner

o Regular meetings - virtual or physical, set in stone and properly documented

o High visibility of slipping actions - stuff that at the outset was trivial can come back to haunt the team if not tracked

o Listen - Team members must be encouraged to contribute in and outside of their comfort zones, with luck this will drive out the 'gotchas'

All of this comes on the back of an 'upgrade' to ease the problems associated with the current version of the blogging platform used across the Reed Business Information titles here in the UK (and elsewhere for all I know). For months all of us have been dealing with instability, poor performance and a general lack of facility mainly due the old system was about 3 full releases behind the latest supported release. The first tentative upgrade was scheduled for the 14th April and the upgrade has been on and off since then.

You can guess what has happened, Computer Weekly (and the rest of the titles) has experienced the sort of 'gremlins' that we in the real world of organisational computing face on almost daily basis. It was not for a lack of planning, there appears to have been a lot of that. It was not for the lack of testing, that too was extensively undertaken. As my fellow blogger Michael Pincher loves to say 'it was due to the law of unintended consequences'.

It is working now otherwise you would not be able to read this. I know it has been very embarrassing for them although the problems do not represent the end of the universe. It is however it is a salutatory lesson for the professional journalists who must have got very frustrated over the last few hours because of the service failure. They now know first hand the knife edge that afflict so many systems in the 'real world'. In future they might take a few more thought cycles before taking a 'pop' at some new IT disaster.

• Full featured software appliance 
• Self-managing, self-healing system 
• Email and advanced webmail 
• Office productivity tools 
• Network level firewall, antispam & antivirus protection 
• Remote connectivity and VPN 
• File and print services 
• Central file management 
• Automated disk backup 
• Disaster recovery

An IT guy has been busted for insider trading after gaining info while snooping on an exec's email; see Financial Times web site. Insider trading is illegal but how confidential are emails.

Many organisations state in their policies that emails are not confidential. However, most people make the mistake of believing they are. Simple rule - if it's important encrypt it.

It's time to revisit your Risk Register and reassess your organisation's Strategic Risk and how you should counter it.

The ecomomic weather is changing fast - it's mitigation time - get ready to apply powerful countermeasures.

As Neil Young crooned in Comes a Time, "In the field of opportunity it's ploughing time again."

The behaviours listed below are based on careful observation of the behaviours commonly practised by those people who are successful when working with others. When used consistently they will transform your ability to work with and through people. They are: 

• Clarify what you are committed to
• Listen Empathically
• Speak Authentically
• Think Win/Win

Interesting debate at the Computer Weekly 500 Club last night about the expectations of people entering the workforce. The speaker, JP Rangaswami, M.D. BT Design, outlined the difference between the Home and the Enterprise computing experience i.e. that of freedom versus control.

With mine and other colleagues' children making their way in the world, the attitude they have to using/abusing web technologies while at work means HR has its work cut out. How do you manage people who spend working time collaborating with their pals on what they'll be doing after hours?

I used to enforce a holiday period for consultants who would happily work on through the summer if they could.

If you can't affford to go away, take your holiday entitlement and learn new skills . The adage 'a change is as good as a rest' is as valid as ever. People have an energy crunch too.

Excellent article in Computer Weekly about building your brand over the summer.

If only I could follow its sage advice :-)

As IT strategists our job is to lay the foundations for integrated common communication services, through infrastructure upgrades or managed services. To support this we need multi-channel IP networks and unified communications structures to deliver our interaction and collaboration needs. P.S The dog's fast asleep.

The joy of holidays is relief for the mind for otherwise being 'ever-on'. However, back at the office the email sever is relentlessly piling up work for in your absence (assuming you left the Blackberry, iPhone etc behind).

So what do you do when you get back and find your in-box full of 600+ unread emails? You've four options. Three work. One doesn't - sadly it's the one most used.

It's amazing how outdated attitudes resist all evidence and reason. Or as a manager of mine said after we had set up full VPN access to the full suite of business application, 'Never underestimate the forces of reaction.'                                 

For workers who can operate independently, telecommuting makes sense. It saves huge sums in terms of fuel prices and commuting time. Yet many managers cling to the notion that an employee who is not in the office is not working making it difficult to be judged on the quality of work rather than the quantity of office time.

The trouble is that senior managers live in rarified air; or inhabit and area 'above the cloud line' as another exec put it. Like the gods of Mt Olympus they are inured to the fates of mere mortals and have no interest in sparing employees the wear and tear of travel.

Things deteriorate over time if you don't do maintenance - even software. One item that needs upkeep is your online identity. Many of us go onto sites -- social networking or otherwise -- and type in details about ourselves (true or not) and there they remain for perpetuity. I just received an update from Plaxo, a site about which I had forgotten - only my details were wrong but also those of some of my connections, including my son Edward, an i-generationer and headhunter now at Amos and Bailey, rather than the previous company cited in his details.

In the future there may be some identity management for the Web where you can be in control of one single version of who you are; until then, do the housekeeping on your on-line registrations. If you don't, that flattering and ever anticipated call from someone trying to recruit you for the job you've always dreamt of, may not come your way. 

I've just been reading maturity level training material on managing projects. They're based on Prince2. One module looks at communication skills. A key area it focuses on is ensuring that the end-users of the project's outcome are as committed to its success as the client.

It is critically important when starting any collaboration project to make sure that, while people buy-in to a project, they actually have the time to support their intention. My experience in rolling-out collaborative applications is that their time allocation (be it testing, training or data input) is the hardest to pin down. While you can schedule, plan and book time people's diaries when it comes to the crunch the pressure of 'work' (occasionally a euphemism for laziness) is their way of getting out of what is arguably a boring task.

This leaves collaborative applications being run out untested and unproven with the inevitable consequences; allowing 'users' to run back to the standalone spreadsheet applications they've developed while waiting for the 'killer collaborative app' to be delivered. 

Communication is the key to this. And that's not just the project team informing people what's going on but critically, listening to what people mean when they commit to your project. You've got to be sure they are not just saying yes for an easy life now to let you down later. You can throw people and money at a project but you can't throw time.  

With the UK PM doing his old job as Chancellor rather well (he'll have to return to PM'ing soon) it shows that if you've got a good idea and the means of disseminating it others will pick up and run with it.

Following the UK's near nationalisation of the banking industry, government now has greater access to our financial identities (an idea being picked up in other territories). With the astonishing cost to the taxpayer being spun to us as 'public ownership' how can we be sure the powers-that-be don't get access to our personal financial details.

With 'money laundering' legislation used more for tax avoidance reasons than terrorist or drug dealing prevention we should shake-in-our-boots at the thought of banks being in the hand of politicians.

I am no conspiracy theorist - more of a believer in the 'law of unintended consequences - but big brother just got bigger.   

The HBR's Management tip of the day suggests appealing to people's hearts, not just their minds in an effort to combat the complacency that can kill a key change initiative?

It recommends such tactics as bringing in emotionally compelling data, people, and images depicting what's going on in the industry, its markets, and the competition -- and showing that the company must alter course to survive. 

It stresses demonstrating your own sense of urgency in every meeting, face-to-face exchanges, and written communication. While this is all good stuff, it's important  your sense of urgency doesn't appear as panic - panic is so last week :-)

There's always opportunity in turbulent times. However, executives are often scared of placing bets on big projects in a fast-moving, chaotic economy. So now is the time to come up with a "portfolio of initiatives;" particularly ones that utilizes untapped skills and assets. Such IT projects, especially if they harvest some of the 'low hanging productivity fruit' that's always around any organisation, will let your execs see how you are helping while limiting any downside risk.

To start with, dust of any shelfware that you have purchased but never used. Shelfware is thought to have soaked up a staggering 20% of IT expenditure so there is plenty about!

For example, amongst the bundles of add-ons that come with your key applications there will be some utilities that may make people's lives easier. If rolled-out cleverly they will make staff see a business that's experimenting, an IT department being proactive and, if the app is neat enough, give them something to take their minds off the news.

I've previously blogged about the effect that spreadsheets had in creating the credit crunch. Will presentation software drive us further into the mire? From the number of 'Surviving the Downturn' presentations posted on the web by highly self-regarding professional firms it seems probable.

For example, the following apple-pie advice came from a major global consultancy. If you are facing a market in recession focus your teams' efforts on winning new business. Winning new business creates a feel good factor in itself and undermines your competitors by removing business from them. Similarly, this drivel came from a 'world beating organisation', Banks tend to under-perform when the economy is weak: they are under pressure now.

Slideware reduces the analytical quality of presentations. Presentations usually weaken verbal and spatial reasoning and almost always corrupt statistical analysis. If you are one of the PowerPoint users that turn out trillions of slides each year and are going to give a presentation, turn of the projector. It will reduce both your carbon and bullshit footprint.

Many of the IT departments I've worked in or consulted to, do not have a communications or marketing program. In the history of business we're a young part of the mix. Our strategic value is vague and rarely articulated clearly. Many of us talk about things in technology and not in business terms.

If the belt is being tightened, having someone at the strategic planning table able to put forward cost saving or investment ideas that will help the organisation survive is critical. Start off by getting away from your desk and do some 'management by walking about' to find out from other departments how you can support their initiatives or ease the pain.

Once you've got the intelligence, get your team together and brainstorm some options to help the enterprise. Get the help of the best marketeer you know to advise you how to communicate these in business terms and then market the ideas round the organisation.  You'll then be seen as a valued strategic partner and not just the department to die by a 1000 cuts.

P.S. If you need help with marketing, phone up one of your suppliers and pull in a favour by running ideas past their new business manager to get commercial input on your initiatives. 

The downturn/recession may provide a useful cover for companies to make cuts they wouldn't be able to get away with at other times - i.e. pull the christmas party, withdraw sponsorship, stop personal development training, cancel projects etc. 

So check out what your company sacrifical lambs might be and offer up one of your own that you don't mind loosing in order to protect the ones you value.

I am defrinately going a bit exhibition gaga. This is manifesting itself as an irrational desire to pull the plug on the DJ who has been mixing an unbridled diet of Moby-style music for the last 9 days and at a pretty loud volume.

We moved to anonomised jazz-funk this afternoon and I could stand it no more. I marched over to the desk and pleaded for a tune with some soul - Average White Band was quickly agreed and at least for one track a musical smile was brought back to my face.

It did not come a moment to soon as I was visited by the chairmain of the Ionian 'awkward squad' who insisted on grilling me for a feature on a product that I have a limited relationship with. My protestations that we should find out what the customer actually needed fell on deaf ears. Ho-hum.

Its reception night tonight - I can't wait (I can really) to see who is going to royally embarrass themselves !

In a recent article in HBR it states winners take the time to keep honing skills and testing ideas in preparation for change while losers lurch from tactic to tactic without any long-term direction.

While losers lack discipline, do not always rely on facts before chasing fads, and panic under pressure, those with winning streaks remain calm and professional. 

Winners develop three traits: First is accountability. They have faced facts and taken responsibility for their actions. Second is collaboration. They make allies and partners, not enemies. Third is initiative. They encourage constant small innovations rather than relying on the occasional blockbuster hit.

In short, winners are not necessarily flashy nor endowed with the hottest new thing; they are simply steady, disciplined, and prepared. They have some instant successes but even better, they have fewer outright failures. They bounce back faster from setbacks and can weather attacks because they stand on a firm foundation. 

To recession proof your company's website you need internal information from management, marketing, finance/accounting, operations and R&D etc. to update it effectively. Use it to identify your firm's core strengths and promote these on the web to minimise the impact of a recession on your business.

You must ascertain what image is to be projected to protect your organisations reputation amongst existing customers and competitors. Your web site may have been seen internally as brochureware but as marketing budgets get squeezed the web will be your window on the world. Lehmans Brothers web site is a case in point. For a company in Chapter 11, it's flash movie about - Joining Lehmans and realizing your potential - seems unbelievable!

The hungry months in many areas of the world were, and sadly still are, the time when food from the last harvest was in short supply with nothing from new plantings yet available.

This recession will see such times for many businesses. Expect pangs of hunger to be felt between February to May -- the point where orders/projects finish.

However, that's where the analogy ends. The 'green shoots of recovery' (promised by politicians as the way out of either a V shaped downturn as HMG hopes, or an L shaped one, where we bump along the bottom, as some naysayers predict) can only come about if either, you've planted something or seeds germinate by accident.

With discretionary spending on hold in most organisations (seed corn) you've got to spot where accidents might happen to reap a financial harvest. I'm going to be exploring this theme over the week as I like my tuck and most of us don't fancy going hungry.

In exploring the idea that business recovery may come from accidental sources rather than planned promotions, the first place to look for the seeds or shoots of recovery is amongst the intellectual property you might own or have access to.

Many organisation have produced or brought stuff that they now own the rights to, trouble is that often these aren't cataloged very well (Advice + if you might be letting people go make sure they have documented everything they're working on!).

So have a good ruffle through past projects and see what you have paid for but haven't realised the benefits of - there may be, just make be the next big thing for your business right under your nose.

"KPMG audited IT Factory's accounts from 2005 through 2007. Deloitte did the same in the previous two years. From 2003 through 2007, IT Factory reported that its revenue grew 69 times and its profit rose 288 times, to 121 million kroner ($22 million). This year, says Mr. Jensby, the chairman, IT Factory expected to roughly quadruple its profit. 

KPMG in Denmark says it is "shocked" and "cooperating with police." Deloitte's Danish unit said it has double-checked its 2003 and 2004 audits and found no problems. 

Ernst & Young, for its part, has now withdrawn the three awards it gave to IT Factory on the day Mr. Bagger took flight. "We feel deceived," said Søren Strøm, head of Ernst & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" program, in a statement. The accounting firm, he added, is "unable to understand the last few days' developments."

"A few months after Mr. Svensson's warning, IBM Denmark named Mr. Bagger's company as the year's "Best Partner" in a software business line. The head of IBM Denmark this year hailed IT Factory as "creative and visionary." IBM has now filed a claim with IT Factory's liquidator to try to get back the 125 million kroner ($23 million) it says it is owed by Mr. Bagger's now defunct company."

The PM has announced that HMG will be creating jobs in the digital industry. The sector, after cursory research, divides into several categories (see below). A helpful guide is provided by NetImperative. Gordon Brown likens his digital communication development plans with FDR's road and dam building schemes. I shall be analyzing these sectors during January to look for collaborative technology opportunities and to see how this initiative stacks up in terms of real jobs - particularly as I'm in the market and looking for one. If anyone can add to the following list please let me know. A good place to register for work is Digital Industry Jobs.

Ad Sales Networks                                 
Ad Serving & Ad Management Tools   
Advertising Agencies
Affiliate Marketing
Content Management
Content Production
Digital Agencies
Direct Marketing/List Buying/
Telemarketing Email Marketing
Gaming
Industry Bodies
ISPs/Hosting
iTV/IDTV
Lead Generation
Media Planning & Buying
Media & Site Owners
Mobile Marketing
PR Agencies
Recruitment Agencies & Sites
Research
Rich Media/Streaming
Search Technology
Search Marketing
Search Engine Optimisation
Survey Tools
Usability Experience
Web Analytics
Web Design & Build
 

Three questions come out of the Prime Minister's Digital Initiative. 1) What is the viability of the digital sector in these straightened times? 2) Will the Government be suggesting new tax incentives to promote digital development? 3) How can start-ups get access to a national pool of venture capital when money is tight?

Collaboration is one of the easiest digital disciplines to show a high ROI. Not only does it have a 'green' impact but used right ,it is both innovative and productive. Collaboration's greatest barriers to entry is people's stubborn resistance to 'get it'. Collaborative enterprises require a change in working practices as profound as those of the industrial revolution. It is this area that HMG needs to focus its attention.

Making this initiative work requires bold and brave investment. As failure to embrace the transition will leave us marooned as conventional industries have all but gone or migrated to cheaper locations.

Home Working is on the agenda again. While telecommuting, ticks all the right boxes re: cost saving and green practice etc., it remains controversial. Employers concerns include worrying if the company's insurance extend coverage to other locations? How will they keep company information secrets safe? And what happens if tele-employees injuries themselves at home? 

These justifiable concerns (not yet addressed in current employment law) are cover for the bug that plagues employers i.e. not knowing if an employee is working on personal matters on company time - that deep-seated fear that someone, somewhere is enjoying themselves - the embodiment of the Puritan work ethic.

You could liken today's modern working practices in demanding people turn-up and attend for set hours at a set place as a similar injunction on our freedom of movement as the Land Enclosure Act of the 17th & 18th Century. Let's hope the current upheaval may change that attitude.  

The danger of buying old low-mileage cars is believing one is getting a bargain only to find that, because the vehicle never reached its servicing mileage, stuff that should have been changed wasn't -. parts perish just as much through age as use.

Cars rot - so does software. Having managed a big budget I know what an irritation to sign-off "maintenance and support" for software. With money tight it's easy to see little value in 'licenced extortion' by the software companies.

But Buyer Beware - you don't know when things will go wrong. Best strategy is to negotiate hard with companies on M&S contracts that deliver commodity products and pay up to the organisations that supply critical apps.

It's not a courageous view but the news of the nurse struck-off reminded me of my whistle blowing. When you discover something wrong and exhaust internal procedures the desire to get what you know off your chest for the 'greater good' becomes overwhelming.

Sleepless nights and all the cliches that come with it drive you to act. Then you act and the battle starts. A David and Goliath struggle. Trouble is Goliath got his reputation by many victories long before David came along.

The psychology is simple. Regardless of your cause - no-one like a snitch and everyone knows the 'bully' is unlikely to loose. So if you see a whistle and fancy blowing it make sure you're dressed in black otherwise it's you that'll be shown the red card.

Apologies for not blogging but have had a funeral to deal with.

Harvard Business Review (HBR) have listed The 10 Most Common Failures of Bad Leaders  The Worst Leaders:
1. Lack energy and enthusiasm
2. Accept their own mediocre performance
3. Lack clear vision and direction
4. Have poor judgment
5. Don't collaborate
6. Don't follow the standards they set for others
7. Resist new ideas8. Don't learn from mistakes
9. Lack interpersonal skills
10. Fail to develop others

Anyone know any of these? :-)

I was at a networking event the other day. A professional acquaintance standing in a group beckoned me over. "Hello" he said, before turning to the others and adding," Do you know Michael? A lot of people in the industry don't like him."

I was gobsmacked - not by what he'd said but by the open admission of what I'd long suspected. As my father said "It's not what you know! It's who you know." Now, if the people you know don't like you - your *!!*ed. It's just a shame it took me so long to find out. When I was managing a £4.5 million budget a lot of people appeared to like me.

Loosing your job is bad enough - loosing 25 years of professional connections is quite another thing. Moral of the story?  Your peers are the enemy.